ODESSA, Texas – At a team party held before the season started, then Allen Captain Eric Adams made a bold statement that caught some fans by surprise. He told the gathering that they were putting together a good program in Allen and that he expected the team to “go for the cup” in the teams first year as an expansion club and he was serious.
Some would hear that and say it was an empty boast, good salesmanship or a pipe dream but those words would prove prophetic in game seven. Generally, first year expansion clubs don’t come out of the gate as strong and impressive as Allen has been all season nor head to the finals in their rookie season. After Wednesday night’s Southern Conference Final victory, Adams may be the go-to guy when looking for lottery numbers as the Americans are most certainly “going for the cup.”
The first period of game seven had some good tempo but it wasn’t the barn burner the fans had become accustomed to. The shots would come in bunches and at the end of one, Allen held the slight edge 13-12 but would also have the lone marker of the period.
Odessa would get the first try on the power play early when Colton Yellow Horn was sent off for high sticking at 5:36 and the ‘Jacks did their best to pound the net for the opening goal. They managed five shots on Allen goaltender Chris Whitley but the goalie and the Americans defense did a great job at clearing any rebounds to the side boards or down the ice limiting Odessa’s scoring options with the man advantage.
The second Odessa power play was frustrated by a very tight Allen defense that took away all the seams and closed off the slot completely, denying the Jacks any shots on the net. The Americans took the defensive momentum from the penalty kill into the offensive zone and turned it into five unanswered shots, including the first goal of the game.
Americans’ captain Jarret Lukin rushed the puck into the zone and showing his usual hard work ethic, retained the puck under great checking by both Odessa defensemen in the slot. Lukin took one shot on net and then recovered the rebound before sending it to Tobias Whelan in the lower right circle who drilled a one-timer past Martin at 17:02. Odessa was spurred on by the Americans goal and sent a four shot salvo at Whitley in the closing minutes but were unable to cross the line and even the score.
Allen did a good job on the forecheck in the opening minutes of the second period, keeping the play down at the Odessa end but the Jacks quick transition play allowed them to move the puck out of the zone and create some opportunities. The Jacks outshot the Americans 6-1 in the first five minutes trying to even the score but the momentum was about to shift in favor of the Americans when Colton Yellow Horn’s strong wrister eked through the five-hole of Martin at 5:04 on Allen’s second shot of the period.
The Americans shut the Jacks down offensively and defensively, controlling the flow of play both ways limiting Odessa to two shots on goal over the next ten minutes. Odessa looked out of sorts as the Americans were dictating the tempo and the Jacks were doing their best just to keep up. Odessa did get a spark late in the second period though, when Liam Huculak was called for goaltender interference at 14:06.
Continuing to work hard on the penalty kill, the Americans limited the Jacks to one shot over 1:20 of the power play until Collin Circelli would score an ironic and controversial goal. Chris Whitley lost his goal stick and as it lay on the ice in front of Circelli, he swept the stick away, wheeled and fired a shot past the stick-less goaltender. The Allen bench let the officials know they were unhappy with the call, as they felt it was as much goaltender interference as was Huculak’s obvious collision with Martin.
The arguing wouldn’t change things and Odessa showed some signs of life from Circelli’s goal, now only one behind the Americans. Allen however wasn’t going to let that spark fan into a four alarm fire.
An Odessa clearing pass was intercepted at the right point by Eric Adams who sent a quick shot on net where Martin made the initial save but was unable to cover the rebound. With the loose puck skittering along the ice both Justin Bowers and Nino Musitelli were chopping at it before Musitelli put it into the back of the net with only 44 seconds remaining in the period. The backbreaking tally was Musitelli’s ninth goal of the post season as he continues his hot play.
Shots were even at the end of two, 12-12 for a two period total of 27-24 with the edge going to Allen.
The third period saw a distinctly different team on the ice from Odessa. The Americans continued to control the flow of play with their determined and disciplined effort, completely dominating the Jacks and the period. Odessa was unable to generate anything of note offensively and looked deflated and defeated as if they had already thrown in the towel. The largest crowd of the series at over 3900 were kept quiet all evening except for the one Odessa goal as it appeared even they sensed the outcome.
The Jacks frustration level increased at 4:55 when Collin Circelli was assessed a two minute minor by the referee for hooking. Allen pounced on the opportunity to take what little remained of the wind in Odessa’s sails. Bruce Graham fired a slap shot from the left wing boards that forced a big rebound towards the right circle where Colton Yellow Horn recovered it and immediately fired at the open net to increase the lead to three at 6:35 for his second goal of the night.
It wouldn’t be until the final seconds that Odessa would show any serious offensive threat but it would be too little, way too late. The Americans looked confident, stopping Odessa in the neutral zone and going on the attack continually. Allen more than doubled Odessa’s tries, leading the shots 12-5 at the end of the period. The writing on the wall became apparent with just over four minutes remaining in the game as the record crowd began emptying into the parking lot.
Odessa pulled Martin with more than two minutes remaining in the game, to get the extra attacker in a last ditch effort to try to come back and this is where they generated their best chances and got three of their five shots on net. As the seconds ticked down, Odessa was able to salve the gaping wound slightly when Jeff Pierce lit the lamp but it would prove academic. As time expired, the scoreboard read Americans 4 and Odessa 2 and it would be Allen taking the trip to the finals in their inaugural year.
The Southern Conference Champion Allen Americans will now face the Rapid City Rush in the President’s Cup finals starting Friday night in Rapid City.
Contact Maurice.Fitzgerald@prohockeynews.com
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